NOVA to Offer English Specialization

Northern Virginia Community College is now offering an Associate of Arts in liberal arts with an English specialization. The College was recently approved to offer the specialization after starting the process of preparing the curriculum and determining student interest in this unique opportunity.

The Division of Languages and Literature has been talking about adding the specialization since 2012 and now offers the liberal arts specialization that allows students to choose courses in creative writing, literature and writing and rhetoric.

“This is a liberal arts degree with a specialization in English. We didn’t have an English degree before this and an institution our size needs one. There are a lot of reasons for that,” said Dr. Bruce Mann, interim dean of the Division of Languages and Literature. “Employers want people who can write, read, analyze and think creatively. And if you have that talent, you can go on to a four-year institution or you can go on to study business or science.”

The new English specialization comes after a number of professors noticed students were showing interest in the program and conducted a survey.

“We initially envisioned a more expansive specialization with three different prongs but the curriculum committee had other really good ideas. That motivated us to streamline our process and that helped seal the deal,” said English Professor Bryan Peters. “So it’s a general specialization in which you can focus on three things: writing, literature and creative writing so they have options to choose from that best suit their interests.”

The degree program is flexible, allowing students to complete the required curriculum and transfer to a four-year college to take up similar studies or explore other fields. Peters and Mann, as well as the entire division, emphasize the importance of being able to write well and think differently in every profession and field of study.

The required courses are available on all campuses except the Medical Education Campus in Springfield. For more information on the Associate of Arts in liberal arts with an English specialization, contact Peters at bpeters@nvcc.edu or Dr. Elizabeth Harlan at eharlan@nvcc.edu.

Northern Virginia Community College is the largest institution of higher education in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of America's largest community colleges. NOVA enrolls more than 75,000 students at its six campuses in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Springfield and Woodbridge, and through the Extended Learning Institute. For more information about NOVA and its programs or services, call 703-323-3000 or visit the College's Web site, www.nvcc.edu.